Don’t Lose Your Best Employees: Ask These Questions

The Great Resignation trend surges on. Employees in record numbers are resigning from their jobs, even without safety precautions like new jobs or savings to keep them afloat. This behavior makes one thing clear: Employees are no longer settling for unsatisfying work conditions. And many of them may be on the verge. So, what can employers do to keep their most talented people from leaving?

Increase Communication, Pronto

With all the turmoil brought by the pandemic, the increase in remote work, and more turnover than usual, now is not the time to stay silent. Managers shouldn’t ignore the Great Resignation and hope it goes away—they should use it as a springboard for insightful conversations with employees, especially top talent.

Don’t Just Ask Questions About the Business

Business-related questions are great, but in these times, you want to focus some of your conversations on your employees. Plus, drawing out more personal information from employees about passions and dreams may lead you to uncover a skillset that actually does benefit your business. Maybe an employee has a creative side and they can get more involved in design. Maybe it’s community service, and they could begin to spearhead volunteer efforts.

Learning More About Your People Is a Win-Win

Everyone longs to be heard, understood, and treated well. Try starting a different type of conversation with your employees, and you could be surprised by the results. It will certainly benefit your interpersonal relationships, management skills, and employee retention.

Here are 10 questions you can use to guide meaningful conversations with your employees. Don’t be afraid to ask important questions and listen to the responses you receive. Even if policies can’t be changed, people will be grateful to be heard.

1. What are the top 3 things that give you a sense of fulfillment at work?
2. Are you getting what you need to be fulfilled?
3. What are your passion(s) outside of work?
4. What would you do with your life if money was no object?
5. What do you want to be doing in 1, 3, 5 years?
6. Have you seen any company projects you want to be a part of?
7. What has been your favorite job since you began working?
8. What public figure do you admire professionally and why?
9. Are you getting the pandemic accommodations you need for work-life balance?
10. If you could change anything about our company, what would it be?

Do you need more help with employee engagement or training frontline leaders? Contact us to see how we can help you retain your best workers.